


Never to Meet

by LizzyMay



Series: Our Second Chances [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Character Death, Confessions, Grief/Mourning, Implied Sexual Content, Lost Love, M/M, Mystery, Other, POV Third Person, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-08-20 16:38:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 21,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16559336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizzyMay/pseuds/LizzyMay
Summary: Grieving for a lost loved one is one of the most painful experiences imaginable.Though some are not allowed to grieve.For some, the hope of seeing them again is the only thing keeping them going.Whether it is in this life time or the next, some just don't know when to let them rest.TL;DR: The gang try to revive Ventus from sleep; but something isn't right.





	1. The White Room

You and I were never meant to meet. 

Right?

I stare down at him, his soft breaths fluttering against his collar. He sleeps in the only chair in the room. It completely dwarfs him, making him look fragile and vulnerable. It doesn’t look comfortable either. The white seat cushions pulled tightly together and over stuffed. It looks hard. I have no idea how long he’s been sleeping here, but he’s not sunk into the chair at all. He could be weightless. Asleep. Still. After all this time. Asleep. 

He has never once opened his eyes to look at me. Does he know I am here? Does it even matter that I am here? How long have I been here for? How long ago was it that I found him? How did I even find him here? Where even are we?

I sigh, turning on my heel and walking over to the single white bookcase. It spreads to take up the whole side of the white room, the only other piece of furniture. Rows of white books, with no text on any of the covers. 

I’ve opened every single one. 

There is no text on any of the pages. 

It’s white. 

Blank.

I wish I had kept a pen on me, so I could write something down. Something to break the block of colour. I select an old favourite of mine. A crisp white one with a single crease down the spine. I did that. I bent the book in half, so I knew which one I started reading from. I always start from the left. It’s a heavy book, hardback with thick pieces of paper carefully glued together. I open it up to the first page. Hoping that there might be something written in it. A change from the last few days of wishing for ink. Nothing. 

His breathing stirs for a moment. The rhythm I had grown accustom to changing. He murmurs under his breath, rolling his head to the other side and settling into a new pattern. This one will go on for a few more hours. Then it’ll change again. And again. And again. I turn my attention back to the book case. One of these has to say something. Why would someone go to the trouble of building a bookcase and then fill it with nothing but useless books? 

I take the book back to him. I wish he would wake. He would know what this place is, for sure. He would know. He would know about the books and why there are no words. I sit on the floor, resting my back against the arm of the chair. I turn to page two, three, four, five. Nothing. 

Perhaps these were his stories. Volumes which should be filled of a life he has missed out on because he is here. Asleep. Stories that should have been written. But what does that mean for me? If he is here and these are his stories… then where are mine? If there is only one chair for him, then does that mean I am not meant to be here at all? As if I have wandered into the restricted section? Or was I the one to fill out these books? And if I am, with what am I meant to write? To say? 

If I am meant to write, then where is the pen?


	2. And Roxas...

The meeting was short, but purposeful. Summarised by the newly reformed Terra in one word.

“Tomorrow”

A round of heads nodding and deep inhales and exhales whisked around the room. A few party members look to Sora, who for once in his life, was incredibly serious. It was the usual crowd, full of people who Lea either tolerated or greatly despised. This meeting had tested his patience, and had been full of great declarations of hope and promises he knew were disingenuous. 

Lea could have lost his eyeballs from the amount of rolling they had done during the meeting. A bunch of clowns trying to be politicians. That’s what he thought of them. Who decided that these kids were going to be the heroes? Putting the world on their shoulders? It’s laughable. But that doesn’t matter now. It’s tomorrow. 

Tomorrow. 

Tomorrow. 

Lea supposed this day was coming for a while, but it really didn’t bring him much relief to know that tomorrow was the day it’ll happen. A day he has been anxiously waiting for yet so desperate to put off. Tomorrow. 

Tomorrow they’ll resurrect their fallen party.

Tomorrow, more than after twenty years of preparation, Ventus will return. 

And Roxas… 

And Roxas. 

“And Roxas?” Lea raised his voice in the silence, all eyes turning to him. All eyes turning dark with an uncertain haze clouding over them. Terra cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing to Sora for help. Ah… of course. No one had thought about Roxas. 

No one ever thinks about Roxas.

The silence simmers Lea’s blood, but he has learnt to keep a tight lid on these sorts of feelings. However new and frightening they were. He must remain calm, even if his knuckles threaten to burst from his skin if he grips his fist any tighter. He must ignore the throbbing in his head and remind himself to unclench his jaw. He reminds himself that these are his team mates. They were supposed to look out for each other… even the ones who had never really left them. 

Sora steps into the centre of the meeting, ready to shoulder the full responsibility of the task that lay ahead. Because of course he does. Because of course he is the hero. He is the one to save everyone that mattered. And of course, Roxas never mattered. 

“See, Lea, I’ve been thinking about how we can bring Roxas back- no really, I have!” Sora’s eyes quickly darted away from Lea, the glare he received from him was lethal. “It’s just… well. Ventus has a physical form. So he can- I dunno- be transferred over easier.”

“Roxas had a physical form.”

“Yeah but it wasn’t real,” Riku snorts, folding his arms across his chest and throwing Lea a superior smirk. “Besides, he gave himself back to Sora. Roxas only ever existed as part of Sora. You can’t bring back something that was never truly there to begin with”

“Since when did you become so foul”

“Since you tried to complicate things”

“Guys please can we not fight” Sora turned to look at them both in turn, starting with Riku “You- stop poking the bear.” The finger turned to Lea, in a gabbing motion “You- Stop biting the stick”

“I’m not biting. I’m asking” Lea stepped into the circle, batting Sora’s hand out of his way “You’re all so concerned with Ventus that you’ve never stopped to ask about Roxas. Surely, if Ventus is getting a second chance, doesn’t Roxas deserve one too?” 

Lea looked around, no one willing to meet his eyes other than Riku. And Riku was asking for a punch in the face. 

“None of you would even be here if Roxas didn’t give what he did. You especially” Now it was Lea’s turn to point, deciding to jab Sora in the chest. “He gave you a second chance. If it wasn’t for him both you and Ven would have been lost forever. Doesn’t that make you want to at least try? Doesn’t that make you feel awful? That you have planned for Ventus like he is some King yet you have forgotten who crowned him? Don’t you feel terrible?”

“For someone that learnt how to feel three weeks ago, you sure talk a lot about emotion” Riku snapped, getting extremely fed up with the vicious jabbing Sora’s chest was receiving, clearly restraining himself from a fight. Lea however, was starting to lose his ability to keep his fists to himself. Stalking up to Riku’s face, barely a breath away from him, he unleashed some of the spite he had been failing to keep under wraps. 

“It’s your fault things happened they way they did. Roxas should have been given a choice if he was to die or not” He spat, green eyes coming alight with venom.

“Roxas did have one. Either die or return to Sora.”

“Die or die. How gracious of you.”

"It wasn’t like that”

“And you call yourself a hero.”

“Let it go Lea. It’s happened. It’s in the past”

“If I had murdered Sora I doubt I’d be seeing you taking it as well as I have. For the greater good!”

“We’ve all made sacrifices to be here now. You aren’t special.”

“I have given up everything to be here. I gave myself for Sora. Can you say the same?”

“Guys, please. Enough!” Sora took a hold of Lea’s hand, gently taking it and pulling him away from Riku. “Stop”

But it hurt. 

Looking at Sora was just a constant reminder of who should have been standing next to him. Looking at the one who was at the centre of his agony. Roxas hated fighting, as did Sora. But Sora didn’t have to stop it in the way only Roxas knew how. Sora knew, of course. He knew it hurt Lea, to be near him. To touch him. To talk to him. 

They just act so alike. 

It wasn’t the same exactly. But there were so many moments where Sora would say something, and Lea swore it was Roxas. When Sora looked at Lea and Lea could only see Roxas staring back. Their eyes, whilst being the exact same shade of blue, were worlds apart. In Sora, you could see hope for a better tomorrow. Whereas in Roxas, Lea had only ever seen resignation. That today was bad, and tomorrow will probably be the same. 

In Sora, there was a chance.

In Roxas, there was nothing.

And there will continue to be nothing if Lea doesn’t say something. 

“I admit, we didn’t let Roxas choose- No Riku, it’s true- but… But we can be better” Sora held onto Lea’s hand tightly, stepping back slowly as to create more distance between the squabbling pair. “I know you are hurting. You aren’t the only one.”

Sora looked over to the tired looking Terra and Aqua. Both had suffered so much, Lea thought. If not more than anyone else in this room. He wondered if they saw Ventus in Sora, he never really spoke to them about it. He didn't really speak to them at all, to be honest. They looked too traumatised by what they had been through to make small talk about anything else. So Lea just never said anything. Maybe in this moment they were seeing Ven. The way they held onto each other certainly reflected that thought. As if they were looking at something so fragile that even a squint could break it. Ventus has been gone for years and left a massive hole in his wake. Roxas had left nothing behind. 

Ventus had brought light to so many peoples lives. There were so many people waiting for him to come back. Lea would be lying if he said he wasn’t excited to see Ventus again, whilst they only had a brief encounter, it would be nice to see Ven. That was the magic of Ven. Ven was a gentle breeze and a reassuring smile, a comforting thought. 

Roxas flew under the radar. Anyone who had met him briefly almost certainly forgot him soon after. Hell, even the kids in Twilight Town forgot him. And they were meant to be Roxas’ best friends.

It was only Lea waiting for Roxas. 

“We will find a way to get Roxas back, you are right. He does deserve another chance. It’s just… it might take some more time” Sora said, then pulling on his signature smile like a favourite jacket “I haven’t forgotten him. He kind of makes it hard to”

Lea shrugged his hand out of Sora’s, ignoring the faltering of his smile as he did so. He turned to look at Terra. 

“We done here?”

Terra nodded.

“Tomorrow morning. Meet here at eight.”

And with that, Lea left the room, desperately needing some space. Of course, he couldn’t leave without smacking shoulders into Riku.

Just to get his point across.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Any feedback is greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Tune in next time!


	3. A Cruel Hero's Game

It was two in the morning. 

Lea found himself in the makeshift kitchen the team had thrown together. Apparently, Yen Sid could just magic up food, so the old kitchen fell into disrepair. So between moving the team’s base to the tower and hastily flinging together plans to return Ventus, no one really spent time doing up the kitchen. Now there was a small microwave that didn’t work, a kettle and a handful of chairs cluttered round a smallish table. Yes folks, this really is the kitchen of heroes. Thank the lord for being able to shoot fire out of his person, Lea thought. At least he won’t be dying of food poisoning anytime soon. 

But the state of the kitchen wasn’t what was keeping him up at this ungodly hour. 

It was Roxas. 

And really, Lea should have said more at that stupid meeting. Lea should have just spoken his mind, he never hesitated to do so in the past. He should have said how he was worried that if Ventus was to return, then Roxas might be lost. He remembered hearing somewhere that the reason why Roxas was made was because of Sora saving Kairi. He also recalled something about Roxas’ appearance being tied to Ven. Which didn’t take an idiot to piece together, even if it took Lea being a somebody again for the pieces to click. For the memories of being someone to return. Though with memories, came more questions than Lea has space in his brain to keep them.

If Roxas was tied to both Sora and Ven… could he exist independently of the two in a physical form? There was no doubt in Lea’s mind that Roxas could. It just seemed that everyone else had already thrown the idea into the trash. 

Lea frowned into his cold mug of tea. Roxas needed come back, he had to. Else why was Lea fighting in this battle at all? It wasn’t like Lea really needed to be involved. If anything, he would have happily stayed dead if it wasn’t for the promise of seeing Roxas again. He would have done anything for him. Not that he would ever say to Riku, but it was the promise of seeing Roxas again that saved Sora from the heartless. In fact, Lea couldn't give a single shit if Roxas was contained in a glass jar or a young adult. Whatever the vessel, Lea would protect it with his very own existence if it meant Roxas could see the sunset again. 

A small knock on the doorframe drew Lea’s attention from the mug. Speak of the devil. Sora stood there, holding a glass of water and dressed in a pair of fluffy PJ’s, because all heroes need comfort. Lea scowled at Sora. Maybe if he scared him enough Roxas would leap out of him and tell him to get a grip. At least Roxas would be here. 

“Can’t sleep?” Sora smiled softly, and shook his head “Mind if I join you?”

Lea shrugged. If he was honest, Sora was the last person he wanted to see right now. This would be the first time he had shared an empty room with Sora. What was he meant to say to him ‘I wish you weren’t here’, ‘This should have been the other way around’.

‘Is Roxas going to come back’.

“Sure” he says instead. 

“Thanks”

It was awkward to say the least. Staring back at Sora wishing nothing more than for it to be Roxas. Sora sat across the table from him, resting his cheek on his palm and taking a slow sip of water. Probably stalling for time. Those horrible blue eyes flicked up to look at him, taking in Lea’s sorry expression. If only it was Roxas. Then Lea might actually have something to say to him. 

Sora took in a slow breath, putting the water on the table and fiddling with it nervously. 

“You know I can see him sometimes.” Sora started, then when no response came, “Roxas I mean. He’s not disappeared”

“Everyone else thinks he has” Lea snorted, his steely glare carefully trained on Sora’s relaxed expression. And Sora is probably going to play Lea for a fool. He already knows what the rest of the team says about him behind his back. That he was here because he felt guilty about what he did to Kairi. That he will turn on them. That he could be a spy. That he would turn back to the darkness in a heartbeat. 

He wasn’t sure if the last one was so false. If that was where Roxas was, so be it. 

Sora, on the other hand, smirked and waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. 

“Yeah, but that’s everyone else. They don’t see things the way we do” 

“We?” Since when had they become a ‘We?’. After everything that has happened, was Sora still so trusting as to just let him be part of this new duo? Riku must be pulling his hair out with jealousy. That brought some light into this crappy situation Lea found himself in. Stealing Riku’s boyfriend. It's not as if Roxas hasn't had to suffer through being an unwilling third wheel to this horrifically cringe-y romance between the two. The perfect revenge. How funny.

“You are the only one sticking up for Roxas. I’d tell him, but he only shows up when he feels like it.” Sora confesses, “He doesn’t like to stick around for too long either…”

“Are you messing with me?” Lea says curtly, a hard edge to his voice. Sora sat up a little straighter after that, but attempted to hide the strike of fear that had passed through him. If he really had Roxas inside him, then he knew better than react to Lea’s temper. So Lea couldn’t help but become curious as a nonplussed mask fell over Sora’s face. 

“Not at all. If anything, I’m more worried about Ventus. I only know he’s there because Riku told me” He responded, in a calm, unsora-like tone. Of course, Riku was the expert on Ventus. 

He was the one that had noticed an extra, unexpected presence when pulling Sora out of his sleep during the Mark of Mastery exam. He had caught sight of what he originally assumed was Roxas and was stupid enough to tell Lea that before it could be confirmed. It all kind of fell apart after that. The team.

Lea had gotten so caught up in shouting and yelling to everyone that would listen to him that Roxas was there, you can imagine how hard it was to hear that it wasn’t him at all. 

But instead, Ventus. 

Someone far more vitally important, who absolutely needed to be saved as a matter of great urgency. 

Unlike Roxas, who could just float around until it suited everyone else that he could come back. To say that had caused an argument like non-other was an understatement. No wonder Lea was starting to fall out of everyone’s favour. Well. Everyone except Sora. 

“You shouldn’t listen to Riku” Lea spat. To which, surprisingly, Sora nodded. 

“Maybe.”

A silence fled between them, which was alarming for Lea. Sora never left a room silent for as long as he had. Which meant he was thinking. And Sora thinking had only ever caused pain for anyone in the immediate vicinity. 

Making himself a heartless for one. 

Making Kairi forget him. 

Making Roxas. 

“I’m nervous though. I’ve never had to do anything like this before.” Sora suddenly spoke through the silence, breaking it with the subtly of a bull in a china shop. Then again, from the volume of the statement and the panic that tinged the sound of his voice, it was almost as though he had never said this to anyone before. Lea decided to be supportive, against his better judgement. 

“Do you know if it would even work?”

“Well.. no, actually. I have no idea. I hope it will.”

Trust Sora. A true half-full person. Sure, it’ll be hope that brings Ven back. Hope that makes the heroes win. Hope that Roxas will fade out of existence and everyone will be all the better for it. 

“And him?” Lea said.

“What about him?”

“He’s not got a body to go back to anymore. What will happen to him once you let him go?”

“I think we should cross that bridge when we come to it” Sora said hesitantly, finding the glass of water so much more interesting than he had before. What a joke. 

Lea sighed, folding his arms on the table and resting his forehead on them. That wasn’t exactly the answer he had been hoping for. 

He wanted a ‘Yes, Roxas is here’ and ‘Yes we will bring him back’. Not a ‘Oh maybe, I don’t know he might die and disappear for ever’ kind of answer. 

This was a useless conversation. The only thing that was certain for today is that Ventus was coming back. If Lea was being truthful, he had no idea how he was going to react. To see someone who was identical to him in every way except the plain fact it was not him. Oh man was this going to suck. 

Sora bit his lip, then nudged Lea. Lea barely lifted his head.

“Do you want to talk to him, before anything happens. He’s probably nervous too.”

“What are you now, some kind of telephone?”

“No, but I mean, I can try and find Roxas. He’s in here somewhere” Sora places a hand over his heart, closing his eyes and scrunching up his brow. 

This was impossible. 

Sora was making fun of him, Lea knew it. He was hurt that Sora would even pretend. He knew how this would end. Sora would try to channel Roxas and then everyone would pour in and laugh. Laugh because Lea just wanted to see his friend again. It was disgusting. Roxas might be in Sora but as if he could manifest him. If he could then why would he do it now. Why do it after all this time? This was cruel. A sick game for a hero that hasn’t had a chance to claim a victory for a few months. 

Lea stood up quickly, the chair tipping back and crashing onto the ground in his bid to make a hasty exit. 

“No. Don’t bother-“ He stalked towards the door, ignoring the aching of his heart and squashing the swells of hope that threatened to break his composure. 

“Axel wait” 

That name. 

That voice. 

It sent his stomach plummeting, his feet freezing in place, hands stuck on the door frame in shock. 

There was no way. 

No way he could be here. 

But the voice was almost too perfect to be fake. It was too close a match. No one had called him that name since he came back, not even Sora. 

It couldn’t be him. 

What if he turned around and he was there… he would kick himself for not at least seeing. 

But this stupid new heart of Lea’s, still so new… so fragile. It would break in an instant. And if it was really Roxas, he would forgive him for walking away. Lea’s expression broke free of its anger, his shoulders falling in defeat. He can’t do this to himself. He won’t. He won’t let himself get hurt. Not again. Not for Roxas. He sighed heavily. 

“Please, Sora. Just. Don’t.”

With that, he blocked out the sound of Roxas calling his name and took himself back to bed. To think of today.

And how much it was going to hurt.


	4. In Sleep

It was almost ceremonial. The way they had chosen to bring Ven back. 

Gathered into a small room, ironically the largest one in the tower, the heroes began the task of drawing Ventus back from the depths of sleep. 

Sora, Riku, Kairi. Aqua, Terra, Yen Sid. The King, Donald, Goofy. And Lea. 

It was almost an exclusive event, Lea thought.

A short guestlist.

It’s a shame the Host wouldn’t even wake up to greet them all.

Especially since he was forced to stand squashed between Riku and Goofy, neither of them having made an effort to leave space for him. If he wasn’t wanted there he would have much rather been told. He didn’t fancy being there. The fact that Goofy smelt like wet biscuits really really didn’t help. He wanted to hide in his room, and would have gladly done so if it wasn’t for Kairi scolding him awake. He didn’t really have to see Ventus waking up. He was pretty sure he’d seem him around another time. That apparently was not a good enough excuse. 

The room housed the most precious of all vessels, barely entered by any other person. Save for the task of changing the growing body out of his clothes and into a gown, so he wouldn’t have to be cut out of them later. It was clean, don’t get Lea wrong. It looked more as though it had been sealed. Clinically white with bright lights illuminating the boy- well- man. A large bookcase filled with books of all sorts of stories lined the wall. If Lea was right, some had the letters and entries collected from past adventures. Jiminy Cricket was most proud of it. Even if most of the books remained blank. 

It was the first time he had seen Ventus. 

It was just as horrible as he had expected. 

He had always wondered what it would look like if Roxas had the chance to grow up. If Roxas had the chance to learn, the chance to build long lasting friendships, the chance to be taller. The young man now sleeping peacefully in the seat, his head tilted to the side and his breath fluttering against the collar of the gown. It wasn’t Roxas… but he could be. Familiar dark, long lashes resting against rose tinged cheeks. Soft pale pink lips parted to let the gentle breath flow in and out of him. He was a beautiful sleeper, as though he had only just drifted off to sleep. Roxas wouldn’t be caught dead in this state of sleep. He used to like to bury himself deep within his bedsheets, almost in a cocoon. It was nice to see what Lea had been missing out on all those years ago. 

It was hard not to be enamoured by the sleeping man. It was hard to push aside the painful memories they brought up, even if it wasn’t really him in them. Lea wondered if Ven smelt the same as Roxas, if their skin was equally as soft, if their smile reached their eyes in exactly the same way that made their eyes shine and glimmer like the sea. If they laughed the same or if they both liked ice cream. Would they get along? Lea hoped they would.

Lea wasn’t sure how he was going to react seeing those eyes again. Even if they weren’t exactly the same. 

“Today, we hope that we can finally awaken Ventus.” Yen Sid began, calling all party members attention. He stood by the chair, resting a hand on the back. “His heart was shattered, but, through great courage, we have all worked hard to pull back together the pieces we feared lost.”

Lea put his hands in his pockets, a safe place for them. He deliberately zoned out of the rest of Yen Sid’s speech, knowing it was 100% a self-congratulatory wank. Whoops. He meant that they were just patting themselves on the back for doing nothing but causing hurt to others. Yeah. At least Lea accepted the hurt that he had dished out. Other party members seemed totally at peace to just circle jerk each other for a job poorly done. At least it was done. Whoops. 

“Master Riku, Sora… if you would begin.” Yen Sid took a step away from the chair, leaving Ro- Ventus alone. Maybe bringing Ventus back was a mistake. Maybe Ventus wants to just stay asleep. 

Sora and Riku approached the young man, both with serious yet determined expressions.

This was it. 

The moment Lea had been dreading.

Sora took a seat next to Ventus, curling a hand around the unconscious man’s and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Not like Ventus knew what was about to happen. Sora looked toward Riku, raising an eyebrow in a ‘Ready?’ suggestion. Riku nodded, pulling out his keyblade and pointing it towards Sora. 

“Sleep!”

And with that, Sora fell into a sudden, deep sleep. His head slowly falling to rest against Ven’s, both looking as though they had always been this way. Riku kneeled in-front of Sora, placing a hand on the side of his head and running his fingers through Sora’s hair, tucking some strands behind his ear. He murmured something under his breath, words of reassurance? Of love? 

Gross. 

“Hey, Riku” Kairi spoke, placing a hand on his shoulder. “If you find Roxas… will you let us know? And keep him safe?”

“I can try. I don’t know how long this will take…” Riku frowned, getting into a more comfortable position. He moved his hand to take hold of Sora’s and took a deep breath. “I’ll bring them both back, it might take a while.”

“By both, you mean Ventus and Sora. Right.” Lea should have held his tongue. It was becoming more and more of a habit to just speak when he shouldn’t. Oh well. The malice in the glares sent his way could have frozen a man to stone. Luckily for Lea, he stopped giving a shit. Especially since this whole situation was created in a way to hurt him the most. Come and watch your not friend be brought back to life. That seems fair. 

“Enough, Lea” Aqua glowered at him, but of course she would. He was an obstacle waiting to happen. Something to stop Ventus coming back in favour of Roxas. Lea thought she should be glad she was sitting on her side of the fence, lucky even, at least people wanted Ventus back. And who was she to speak to him like that, he didn’t know her. For a Master, she should know how to manage her anger better. Or was it the short spell in the realm of Darkness too much for her. As someone with vast experiences of travelling in and out of the wretched place, Lea knew how weak her heart must have been to have caved so easily under its influence. He was about to open his mouth to tell her this, when Kairi appeared at his side, gripping his arm in warning. 

For once, Riku seemed to meet his senses, holding a hand up to stop Aqua from saying anything else to damage the aura around them. 

“I will do what I can, just… get comfortable” Riku sighed, bowing his head and fading out of consciousness himself. 

And with that, the long wait began.


	5. Choose

Choose wisely, Riku.

He never had a choice.

He never had a chance.

He has only ever been broken.

He was never whole.

He was the sacrifice.

He was the offering.

One who gave it all.

One who took nothing.

Choose wisely, Riku.

In him, there is suffering. Pain. Agony. Hurt. Yet there is light, brighter than any that can be found in all the worlds.

In him, there is a future. Glorious. Free. Happy. Yet there is darkness, cold and cruel, unlike any you may have ever faced before.

Choose wisely, Riku.

Choose.


	6. Chapter 6

He hoped he had made the right choice.


	7. He never had a choice

A loud gasp broke through the silence. 

Riku jolted awake, a hand flying to catch his neck and spluttering as though he had resurfaced from the depths of a murky ocean. His eyes immediately flooded with tears, wide with fear and bulging from his head. Lea could only watch in horror as the silver haired hero collapsed onto the floor, seizing from whatever it was he had returned from. 

Kairi was the first to move, pulling Riku away from Sora, forcing their hands to part. She took off her jacket and shoved it under Riku’s head, trying to prevent him from knocking himself out on the marble floor. The veins in his head bursting forwards, visibly pumping blood to his temple. With each pump of blood, Riku’s eyes rolled further into the back of his head. Kairi shouted, ordering the team on what to do now, a blanket, some space, let the seizure run its course. Lea tried to move, he really did, but it seemed as though panic had caused him to stay rooted to the spot, unable to even lift his hand for fear of making things worse. 

But things in Lea’s life only ever get worse. 

With the team’s collective attention on Riku, Lea only had a moment to glance up at the other two. He kind of wished he hadn’t. 

Roxas looked terrible.

It was as if years of not eating was finally catching up on him. Once full cheeks now withering away, cheekbones becoming more defined and eye sockets showing dark, grey rings around them. His hair drooped, no longer shiny and fluffy. It was a shell of a person. The affects the spell of sleep had negated thus far making their presence well known. It didn’t help that Aqua was being held back by Terra, her cries for Ventus bouncing off the walls of the room and assaulting Lea’s ear drums. It was hoarse, feral.

It all happened in seconds, and the longer Riku seized, the worse the affects were on Ro- no, Ventus. How come Lea only now had the power to move, he didn’t know. He made a beeline towards him, snatching a hold of Ven’s hand. He was ice cold. He barely had a chance to try to warm Ven when he was roughly shoved aside by the released Aqua. He would have snapped at her, had it not been for the devastated look that crumbled away at her usually stern features. Her brother, deteriorating in front of her eyes. He looked as though he was moments away from death, his form slowly leaning forwards as his muscles no longer held the strength to hold him. 

“Ven… Ven! Please! Ven please!”

Kairi yelped in surprise, causing Lea to turn around. Riku was back on his feet, staggering over towards Sora. 

“No! Don’t touch them!” Riku shouted, throwing an arm back to bid off the heroes. “If you touch them, you could be consumed by the dream. Leave them- Aqua I said leave him!” He growled at Aqua, who retracted her hands away from Ven’s faster than lightning. “You don’t know- You don’t know- Sora, please wake up.” 

He fell to his knees in front of Sora, taking Sora’s one hand into both of his, pressing his forehead to them. Consumed by the dream? Lea looked down at his own hands, with nothing in particular happening to them. Lea was just going to thank his pure dumb luck and not mention what he had just done to anyone. No one seemed to have noticed anyway. 

“Come on Sora… wake up…” He willed into the unconscious man. “I need you… follow my voice back into the light”

It wasn’t the words that Riku had said that planted a seed of dread within him, but more of the shaky quality of his voice. What on earth had he seen? Lea had no clue. But something had clearly gone wrong in the dreamscape. He couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety that washed over him, if Riku was in this state… then Sora… Ven…

It was hard.

Watching the usually cool Riku completely loosing his composure. It was unsettling to say the least. Sora was slowly turning an ashen grey with each slow inhale, gradually being lost to his own dream. And Ven… he didn’t look much better than before. Worse. 

It couldn’t have gone more wrong. Lea knew they shouldn’t have been messing with sleep like this. Kairi ushering people a safe distance away from the three, not wanting anyone to come into contact with what Riku tore himself away from. A sleep so terrifying that even Sora struggled to pull himself out of it. That only meant that Ven must have been more lost than they had anticipated. Lea stood back and watched, silently observing the nervous outbreak of chatter. Fools. They never should have meddled in sleep. Aqua collapsed into Terra’s arms, sobbing.

“It’ll be okay Aqua…” Terra tried, supporting the woman and lowering her to the floor. “Ven will be okay. He will be. Just.. just wait for Riku.” 

He sounded more like he was reassuring himself… and the rest of the team. Even the King looked nervous, for once in his life in a situation he did not have a back up plan for. No more secret schemes. For once, the heroes were out of control. Or at least, they were genuinely relying on the skills they hoped Riku had developed. Riku wrapped up in murmuring guidance to Sora, trying to bring him back into the conscious world. And Ven… well. Lea guess he had to be following Sora. 

“Please Sora… almost there…” Riku whispered, before leaning forward to capture Sora’s lips in a soft, but desperate kiss. 

Lea supposed that this would be the final life line. Should their affection for each other not be enough to lead Sora out of the darkness, it would seem like the whole mission is lost. His eyes flick back over to the blonde sitting next to Sora. It’s a shame it wouldn’t be his blonde that was returning. He doubted anyone would be able to use the same trick as Riku on Ven, not even his own teammates. 

Another deep gasp of air broke through the tense atmosphere, thankfully, coming from Sora. He looked rough. His eyes bloodshot and ringed with fatigue. Though Riku smiled with relief on seeing Sora awaken, it didn’t seem like Sora shared the sentiment. In a tired, broken voice, Sora asked.

“Riku… What did you do?”

The shared look between them set alarm bells ringing from deep within Lea’s soul. It was their eyes… and the harsh look Sora threw into Riku’s… and Riku failing to meet Sora’s glare. Lea watched as Sora leaned over to Riku, muttering something to him under his breath. He almost heard it, if it wasn’t for the scream that came from Aqua.

“Ven!” 

Ven’s weight shifted forward, as though he had tried to get up. Aqua broke free from Terra, catching him in her arms and swinging him around so he lay across her lap, his head resting on her shoulder. The man slowly opened his eyes, dull and half lidded, as though he was barely strong enough to open them. They looked over Aqua’s shoulder, readjusting to the sudden brightness they had harshly cast upon them. It was hard for him to focus, with Aqua coddling him like a baby and Terra sitting down next to them both, scooping them into his arms and burying his face somewhere in the mix. 

Those eyes. 

Cold.

Blank. 

Unfeeling. 

But present. 

At long last, Ventus had awoken.

But something… something was not right.


	8. He never had a chance

Something was not right. 

Lea couldn’t quite put his finger on it. But something was amiss. 

Maybe it was Sora and Riku’s sudden silence towards each other that unsettled Lea. 

After Ven opened his eyes, Sora had taken Riku by the wrist and stormed out of the room. What followed could mildly be described as a heated argument. Sora sounded two seconds away from turning Riku into a heartless. Lea hadn’t heard exactly what was said between, but it seemed like no matter what Riku said, Sora became more and more enraged. Whatever Riku had done in the dreamscape must have been bad to anger Sora like this.

In fact, Riku seemed to be avoiding everyone, most of all Sora. He had shut himself into the Tower Library, which was a surprising choice considering Riku isn’t exactly the most literate guy in the world. It seemed Sora had no interest in making up. Instead, he made it his mission to readjust Ven back into the world of the living after so long in the dreamscape. 

Maybe it was that. 

Or maybe, it was Ven himself.

He acted like a zombie.

Or more specifically, he acted like Roxas when he was first created. 

From the way he would silently stare into space, how he latched onto Sora like a lost puppy, how he barely reacted to his own name. It was uncanny. 

Aqua constantly fussed over him like he was still that sixteen-year-old boy she had lost. In many ways, he was. He hadn’t lived at all until now, so how he was meant to know what it was like to be in his mid-twenties? He certainly didn’t act like a twenty something. But Lea thought Aqua constantly holding Ven’s hand was going to get old as soon as Ven regained some more brains. If it wasn’t Aqua’s hand, it was Terra’s shirt. If it wasn’t Terra’s shirt, it was Sora’s. 

Almost like how Roxas used to hold onto Axel’s sleeve when he became nervous. That phased died quickly once Roxas realised he needed to be a bit more ballsy to get anything he wanted in the Organization. Lea looked forward to the day Ven would shrug off Aqua’s hand, but then again, it wouldn’t make a difference to him. It’s not Roxas. 

You could say Lea was silently observing Ven. He couldn’t help be impressed by the little thing’s Ven had learned to re-do since he awoke. 

See, he had found himself quite mesmerised by Ven. Particularly by how stupid he had been from the moment he had awoken to the moment he found himself trying to make breakfast. 

The key word here is trying. 

He wasn’t sure how long it had been. What, five… thirty minutes. Lea had watched the poor guy struggle. Not because he doesn’t want to help. More out of a curiosity of what he’ll do next. It was strange, as though he had seen this all before, a life time ago. 

He means, the kid has to learn to be independent right?

Ven had managed to turn the kettle on.

Which was a good start. 

The mug Ven had in his hands seemed to be causing his next mode of difficulty, Ven having filled the mug with cold water then dropping it on the floor. Lea wasn’t quite sure what he was trying to achieve by doing that, but he continued to eat his cereal. It really wasn’t any of his business. Ven just stared at the mess on the floor, trying to mentally work out why it didn’t work out the way he had thought it would. Nope. None of Lea’s business.

Even if Ven’s cute frown of confusion made his heart leap in his chest. 

Ven then decided to ignore the mess and turn to make some food. He seemed to get lost, opening the same cupboard again and again. Like he was hoping for the contents to suddenly change the next time he opened it. He blinked at it, then took another cup out from the cupboard, staring at it intently. 

“Cup…” Ven whispered, then nodding to himself. Oh he spoke! Interesting choice of first word, but Lea felt honoured to be a part of this momentous occasion. Ven paused then looked around the kitchen, not even acknowledging Lea was there. Lea didn’t mind, it seemed like Ven was in the mist of a complicated task. He didn’t want to overload the guy.   
He was glad that Ven seemed to know what to do next, watching Ven locate the fridge and pull out a bottle of milk. He was so proud. Look at him, pouring milk in the mug. Way to go kid. 

It reminded him of someone. The first week they were awake.

Roxas had no clue what he was doing either. Lea remembers finding him just staring into space or standing in the centre of the Grey Room, waiting for a mission at three am. Or when Roxas tried to use the shower for the first time and flooded an entire floor of the castle. Or when he tried to get himself dressed and managed to put his shoes on the wrong foot. Thank God the coat only had one zip, you couldn’t go too far wrong. Even if Roxas had somehow managed to zip it up back to front. That first week Roxas barely spoke, instead finding that he would just randomly appear at Lea’s side if he needed anything. Food, missions… comfort… It was cute… 

Lea was pulled out of his memory when his vision focused back on Ven, who was trying to shove as much cereal as physically possible into the mug, milk overflowing from the sides. Lea sighed, standing up and taking a rag from the sink. It was going so well. He walked over to Ven, trying his best not to be reminded of an extremely similar situation with a cup of tea and his own confused blonde. 

“You need a bowl.” He said, taking one out from the cupboard and then dumping the mug of cereal into it. 

He ran the rag across the counter, mopping up all of the milk. Ven didn’t do anything. Choosing to watch the rag instead. Lea paused for a moment, looking down at the man. Huh. He was taller than he last remembered- than Roxas. He was taller than Roxas. A good height. Ven blinked slowly.

“Ah. Bowl.” He said, as if he had just discovered the meaning to life. Lea rolled his eyes, then opened a drawer, passing Ven a spoon.

“Yeah… and a spoon”

“I know spoon” Ven looked at it without actually taking it. Lea didn’t really know what to do, he sort of hoped Ven remembered social ques. Apparently not. 

“I’m glad to hear that.” Lea waved the spoon, hoping that Ven would take it. He didn’t. 

Why did he always get stuck looking after the babies? Not that Ven was a baby… and he would be lying if he said he didn’t feel some small amount of comfort being able to do a small gesture to Ro- Ventus. It was nice. Even if he avoided Ven’s eyes when they looked up to him, pretending to be very invested in the placement of the spoon in the cereal. 

“Oh! There you are Ven, Terra’s looking for you” Sora’s voice wafted into the kitchen, a welcome change from the painfully familiar one that came out every time Ven discovered something.

Ven looked over at Sora, then back to the bowl of cereal, looking incredibly torn on what to do next. Lea smirked, and before he could stop himself, ruffled Ven’s hair.

“It’ll be here when you get back, don’t worry” What was he doing? This. Isn’t. Roxas.

Not-Roxas stuck his finger into the middle of the cereal bowl, then pulled it out again. Then stared Lea in the face with that expressionless gaze.

“So you won’t eat it” 

He then turned on his heel and wandered out of the room, leaving a bemused Lea behind. Like that would stop him eating it. Roxas did that too, but at that point in their friendship, Lea wasn’t exactly worried of catching something from him. He snorted, then finished up cleaning the bench. What a weird kid. Sora coughed from behind him, no no Sora, he knew you were there. Lea turned and rested his elbows back on the now clean bench.

“We have to stop meeting like this. People will talk” Lea said teasingly, earning a ‘psh’ from Sora. 

“I wanted to talk to you. About what happened… and… and I need you to know something.” He said, struggling to maintain eye contact with Lea. Ah… this was about what Riku and Sora’s fight was. To be honest, Lea didn’t want to be involved in the drama, not whilst it was still hot and fresh. He also didn’t fancy becoming Sora’s new confidant now Riku was sent to the naughty corner. Lea was having enough trouble with one set of blue eyes to now start worrying about a second set. 

“See, Riku- ugh he always does whatever he wants. He just doesn’t stop and think about how his choices impact other people!” Sora scowled, then folded his arms. Oh jeez. Lea put his marriage councillor hat on, but physically shrugged in an ‘I told you so’ manner. 

“I told you, you shouldn’t listen to Riku”

“I know, I know.” Sora sighed, then gave Lea a hesitant look “Say… Lea? Be gentle on yourself… especially with Ven.”

“Why do you care so much?” 

“Because I felt Roxas. And I know what he felt for you.” 

Lea didn’t really want to hear this. It was too late anyway. Lea knew he had missed his chance to tell Roxas… not that he’d ever really gotten over it. Not that Sora needed to know this either. 

“We were friends Sora. That’s all it ever was.”

“Ha, you can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me.” Sora smiled, taking a hold of Lea’s hand. “I know Roxas. And I know that he missed you with his entire being. Not a day went past that he didn’t want to talk to you, to see you, to be with you. You kept him fighting, even if he was tired or confused or angry. He wanted to be free, so he could see you again. I know I couldn’t safely give him freedom, but I let him see you. He was erm… stubborn like that”

“Heh, that sounds like Roxas alright” He gave in, looking into Sora’s eyes. 

The swirling of blues reminding him so much of Roxas, as if he was on the other side of a mirror. It was hard to convince himself it wasn’t. There were only a few times Lea had seen that soft, mushy gaze from Roxas. First, when Roxas had asked him what love is. Second, after flying together in Neverland. And the night before it all went wrong, where Lea almost… 

“I know whatever you two had was special… I’m not going to lie to you, sometimes I wondered if I was in love with your or if it was Roxas” Sora confessed, but Lea was struggling not to hear it as Roxas. Those weren’t Roxas’ eyes or hands… or lips.

“…He loved me…” Lea echoed back to Sora, who hummed in response. 

Love? What did Roxas know about love? Sora bit his lip in thought, trying to think of the right thing to say. But love? And Roxas was okay with Sora telling Lea this? Surely this was something Roxas ought to tell Lea himself. Sora looked away, a slight frowning taking a hold of his face. 

Were they talking? Was Roxas here? Lea’s grip on Sora’s hand tightened, holding a short breath.

Come on Roxas.

Say something.

“Ah, I never told you, did I?” He’s here. “Well I suppose- Mphf!”

Lea only gave himself half a second to think before leaning down to Sora, wrapping him in his arms and taking ownership of his lips. They were soft, warm, and in that moment, Lea didn’t give a single shit if anyone walked in. He tried to supress the whirling in his chest, Roxas making this extremely hard to do as he kissed back. Their noses bumping together, and where one kiss ended another hastily took it’s place. He tilted Sora’s head with the gentle touch of his finger, effortlessly deepening the kiss. Roxas’ hands finding their way into his hair, his own comfortably resting on the small of Roxas’ back. Roxas’ quiet noises and shaky inhales between kisses sent Lea’s heart into a bittersweet ache, if Lea shut his eyes tight enough, if he kisses Roxas harder, if he just ignores everything his mind is telling him. He just wanted something familiar, to scratch the itch, to take this emptiness and bitterness away. He lifts Roxas up onto the bench, no longer having to lean down to enjoy the moment.

It wasn’t until Lea caressed Roxas’ cheeks that he felt it. They were wet.

The illusion broke immediately, almost sending Lea reeling back with guilt, only stopped by the arms still wrapped around his neck. Sora. Sora. Lea scrambled to find his apology, Sora's face hitting him like a sac of bricks that he really wasn't Roxas. He was a fool for thinking it was. And now he could add this to the list of things he had done to hurt people. Though... that didn't seem to be why Sora was crying, the gentle hold around him indicated that. The softness turning into pools of grief, a guilt felt within Lea reflecting themselves perfectly in the sea of blue.

“T-that’s what I wanted to tell you” Sora slowly let Lea go, unable to stop the tears rolling down his cheeks. He licked his lips, trying to find the words within. He took in a deep breath, sitting upright on the bench, still inches away from Lea’s face.

“I-I’m sorry Lea. Roxas is gone”


	9. He has only ever been broken

Training started at six am sharp. 

Every.

Single. 

Morning.

Considering they had no boss and, ergo, no timetable, Lea was confused as to why they were so strict with themselves. It’s not like Xehanort is going to attack right this second. Lea was sure Xehanort had much more important things to do… like some food shopping or gentle housework. Not coming to destroy a group of teens/adults/zombies. 

Though, Kairi was never convinced by his early morning ranting of how they should just relax. It wasn’t his fault he needed time to actually digest his gotdamn food.

“I swear all you do is relax! When was the last time you did Pluto duty?” Kairi said, a quick flex of her hand summoning her keyblade, which she then dropped to her side and leant on. 

“I didn’t even know we had ‘Pluto duty’.” Lea said, genuinely bewildered at the idea that they took turns to clean up after the mutt. “Surely, it’s the King’s job? It is his dog after all. Not to mention, Donald and Goofy are employed by him. Can’t they do it?”

“Goofy is excused. It kinda makes him feel weird.” Kairi sighed, then shrugged the thought away. “My point being, what do you want to do to help the team?” 

“What do I want to do?” Lea raised an eyebrow; the answer was nothing. But somehow, he felt that Kairi wouldn’t see the humour in that. “I could try to get Sora and Riku to talk to each other?”

“Those Buttheads will talk to each other eventually. They just need to get over themselves. I mean, we are all here for the same reason.” She shook her head in despair. It sounds like this happens a lot. Almost as though it was the plot of a very successful game. “Riku has far too much pride and Sora has far too much influence from Roxas to not be a stubborn ass.”

Did Kairi not know? She didn’t seem to. That, or she was ignoring Lea’s mournful look and instead using his pause for thought as the ripe opportunity to rip out his jugular. She charged forwards, her keyblade following her as she tore it from the ground. With an easy twist, she threw it ahead of her, quick as a whistle. Luckily for Lea, he was getting better at using his keyblade.

He managed to summon it with less effort than previous attempts, probably because he was startled into action and would absolutely be dead if he didn’t. He threw up the blade and smacked Kairi away with a swing of the key. She snorted, performing a rather elegant flip and landing on her backfoot, keyblade poised, ready to go again. 

“You have to stop reacting to that name! If anyone else from the Organization is norted, they’d be able to one shot you!” 

Whilst being a massive bitch, she does have a point. 

Instead of being affected by Kairi’s words, Lea let a sly smirk creep across his face.

“I’d like to see them try.”

The two decided on a friendly sparing match, the loser having to go on… Pluto Duty. Lea absolutely was not going to lose. 

It was nice though. This newfound connection the two had made since Lea joined the team. Kairi had been most forgiving of his rather rude kidnapping of her, which made Lea automatically suspicious of her. None of his kidnapped victims have ever been forgiving. He had a very hazy memory of a dark-haired girl absolutely not wanting to be kidnapped. Not that anyone… wants to be kidnapped. Hey, Lea didn’t really have much of a say on what to do then. Though, he’s not sure how different things would have been if he did. Maybe Roxas wouldn’t have left. Maybe he would be safe. 

But Kairi was different. Spunky, a wildfire in a match, a whirlwind dressed as a summer breeze. She had forgiving him, but never forgot. That made her a formidable teacher. For every failing on Lea’s part, Kairi could recall numerous times he had let her down or hurt her. If anything, she was guilting him into being a better person and a better keyblade wielder. 

And she had also been the only one he had been frank with about his connection with Roxas. 

Sure, sometimes she used it against him in situations such as now. It was never from a place of malice. It was more to protect him, which Lea think she sensed that that moment was now rather than later. 

She was an excellent mentor.

Their battle only ceased when Master Aqua entered the training room, holding the hand of a still out of it Ven. Kairi held up her hand to Lea to call time out, throwing her keyblade into the void and jogging over to the new heart. 

“Hey Ven, you look better today!” She smiled warmly, then looking up at Aqua, who nodded in agreement. She looked like the proud mother of some baby. It made Lea feel a bit sick, to be honest. Let the guy stumble around like the overgrown child he is. That’s how most of the Organization members dealt with being spaced out. Well, that and being sent out on dangerous missions just to see if they’d come back alive and be worth further training. It worked though. Saved Axel from a few boring Nobodies. 

Aqua beamed at Kairi, then lovingly gazed at Ven. 

“Yeah, Ven spoke this morning. Terra was relieved, he thought Ven might not speak for at least a week or two.” Aqua squeezed Ven’s hand, though Ven didn’t seem to notice.  
If anything, his eyes remained trained to the floor. Really, Lea would have reacted the same way if someone was embarrassing him, but he didn’t know how to scream at her yet. Time to save the poor kid. 

“I didn’t know Terra was an expert on hearts” Lea approached the three, ruffling Ven’s hair. “I know someone who could barely form a sentence in their first week. Ven’s doing great.” 

He couldn’t help but feel like Aqua wanted to butcher him for touching Ven. She knew nothing of hearts, as far as Lea was aware. No point in treating the guy like he’s three and off to playgroup for the first time. He was still fully conscious, just struggling to get the words out. Lea knew that. By the look of Aqua’s iron grip on Ven’s hand, it didn’t seem like she did. 

“Well. Lea. Ven didn’t speak for a few weeks when we first met him. I think we know what’s normal for him.” She spat, seemingly trying to put herself between Ven and Lea. Lea wasn’t here for that kind of attitude, especially amongst a supposedly friendly team. 

“Whatever Aqua I’m not going to bite.” He turned his attention to the man, peering around Aqua’s side. 

Gosh he kept forgetting how much he’d grown. Almost to Lea’s shoulder. At least, that’s where the hair spikes ended.

“How are you feeling Ven?”

Ven seemed to acknowledge that, glancing up at Lea with a quick flash of his dull blue eyes. 

“Fine.”

A man of few words. He never remembered Ven as a man of few words. More of a bouncing, delightful chatterbox. He supposed that years of sleep would make your brain a bit foggy. Lea tried on his warmest smile, even if it didn’t really meet his eyes. Something to make Lea seem less intimidating. 

“Did you go back for your breakfast?”

Ven’s eyes widened for a moment. Poor thing. Just like Roxas. Stop it Lea. This really isn’t good for your mental health. He’s gone. 

“No”

“Don’t sweat it. You’ll remember tomorrow.”

“Anyway” Aqua interjected loudly, not being very discreet with her glare “We are going to start training. Ven needs the practice now more than ever, isn’t that right Ven?” Aqua let go of Ven’s hand and strutted off over to the training pitch. 

Ven did not follow, instead, looking back up to Lea through his eyelashes. Not quite daring to be so obvious in his stare. Lea decided not to notice and walk back over to his pitch, squaring up to Kairi and ready to fight once again. Pluto duty was so not going to be done by him. He decided to take the first swing at Kairi this time, even if he was no where near as agile as she was. He felt less of a keyblade wielder and more of a man trying to swat an overgrown fly. 

Aqua called Ven over, sounding impatient by the third call. Jeez Ven, so dopey. You gotta start shaking a leg or something. Kairi had the nerve to call Lea nosey, a well-aimed swipe of her blade bonking Lea on the shoulder. She was in for it now!

Aqua summoned her keyblade with all the flourish that only seasoned keyblade master could have. She flicked it neatly behind her, reading herself for battle. Ven, on the other hand, just kinda watched her. He made no real effort to summon his keyblade, or any effort to do anything at all. He just stood there and stared at Aqua. 

“Ven! Are you ready?”

Ven did nothing. It’s nice to know Aqua assumes that means he’s ready, Lea thought, glancing at the pair whilst ducking Kairi’s assault.

Kairi managed to catch Lea’s chin with the heel of her boot, not enough to knock him down, but enough to make him yelp in surprise and leap backwards. Thank God she doesn’t wear stilettos, otherwise Lea would have a nice hole in his face. She twisted her body around in mid-air, generating more force to her swing. With a short flick of her wrist, she casts some form of electric magic- coating the keyblade with it and aiming it straight for Lea’s chest. 

Well if it’s magic she wants, it’ll be magic she gets. 

Lea threw his blade up to block hers, electricity crackling around their heads and totally ruining his hair. Luckily for him, years of setting people on fire meant that even his Somebody had an affinity for pyrotechnics. He summons the fury deep within his soul, finally giving his inner anguish a moment to lash out and ‘tickle’ his opponent. He’d hate to hurt her, but it was a lot to manage the intensity of the fire that swelled inside him. He closed his eyes, focusing on how much to let go. Their blades screech together, the clanging of the metal slowly being drowned out by the roaring of the flames. 

He breathed out slowly, then opened his eyes, alight with the flame. They burst out to surround his keyblade and spread like wildfire up his arm, the heat strong enough to throw Kairi back. Kairi let out a low whistle, rolling her shoulders as she sized up her competition. Though Lea had a short time before he would be burned by his own spell. He had very little time to make his plans, choosing instead to throw caution to the wind and charge at her.

A sudden ‘Thw-chunk’ cracked through the air, causing both fighters heads to swivel in the direction of the noise. 

“Roxas!” Lea shouted, flinging the blazing keyblade into the ground, the spell disappearing into the soil. He rush over to the blonde’s side. Blood poured from Ven’s face, his nose almost certainly broken. Ven didn’t seem to do anything other than sit there with a stunned expression. He’s in shock, no doubt about it. The red seeped into his clothing and dripped onto the ground, making Lea feel a bit sick. He didn’t do blood. 

Lea dug around in his pocket for a small vial of Cura, breaking it in his hand and dunking its contents over Ven’s head. As if the injury was a mask, it was lifted from Ven’s face and vanished into thin air. 

“What do you think you are doing!” Aqua shoved Lea away from Ven, her Keyblade reappearing in her hand and now pointed directly at his face. Lea fell back onto his elbows, refusing to look intimidated by her. An easy mask fell over his face, coating it in a non-pulsed expression. Bored by her anger. 

“Woah, watch where you point that thing.” Lea’s eyes flicked from the tip of the blade to Ven “You could hurt someone.”

“Ven needs practice. That’s all.”

“He needs to rest, look at him, he’s in no state to be training. Not like that.”

“You don’t know what’s best for Ven. Stay out of it, Lea.”

“And you do? Look at him, he’s a zombie!”

“He’s like a brother to me! I would never seek to hurt him! You don’t know him, you don’t know what he needs!"

“He’s going to get hurt if you push him like this! He’s already been hurt!” Lea put a protective arm around Ven, feeling the shorter man stiffen under his touch. 

Aqua saw red. 

She gripped Ven’s wrist, yanking him to his feet and forcing him out of Lea’s grip. Her face flooded with malice, a poisonous look over took her eyes and the keyblade now inches away from his nose. 

“He. Is. Not. Roxas. Stay away from him.” 

With that, she dragged Ventus from the room and slammed the heavy doors behind her. Silence poured into the room, only to be broken by Kairi’s sigh.

“I think we should call it a day.”

“Hm. Why do you think Aqua is getting all… this? Not that she was exactly pleasant before.” Lea asked, standing up and brushing himself off. Kairi went to stand beside him, staring at the door with a puzzled expression. 

“Beats me. Everyone has been acting weird since Ven returned.” She chewed her lip, the turned to look up at her fellow red-head. “You don’t think they know something we don’t?”

Lea paused in thought. Well. Lea wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if there were more shenanigans afoot. He didn’t think it would be a good idea to tell Kairi about how he and Sora made nice in the kitchen earlier today. He didn’t think he should be the one to tell her that Roxas was missing. Maybe that’s what everyone else thinks. That it’s not their place to tell people other things. 

“Maybe. Would explain why she is so defensive. I dunno, I don’t want to stir the pot” Lea made his way to the door, opening it and taking a step outside. “Besides, I’m used to not knowing everything.”

And if Lea was honest, he didn’t want to know what everyone else’s beef was. 

He wanted to know where Roxas was.

That’s all that mattered.


	10. He was never whole

You. 

You took everything away from me. 

If you had left me be, to let me exist and to let me grow; who would I have turned out to be?

I was supposed to be safe here.

It was almost too painful. 

Seeing you here.

The rush of hurt flooded into reality, swirling around my head. Hurt that I had once come to terms with bursting from the seams of my newly repaired heart. It burst forward from the moment you had walked into the room, exploding from my chest and rearing its ugly head. It bled out from the stitches and pooled into the floor, spilling out for you to view at your leisure. Though, you didn’t seem to notice my anguish, ignoring it entirely and stepping past me. 

Towards. 

Him. 

My other, asleep and safe and oblivious to the monster that you are. 

The room became freezing cold, our breaths becoming visible in the low light. 

Mine, fast. Panicked.

His, slow. Calm. 

Yours. Determined. 

You looked around, with each glare destroying part of the room. The chair my other sat on creaking apart. The bookcase collapsing and hurling its pages around the room. Books cascading onto the ground and dispersing their contents into the air in clouds of dust and flakes of parchment. The white wallpaper burning from the plaster and smoking at the corners. 

Why do you say that I am the one who ruined it all? 

You are the one who can’t bear to be without hurt. 

I could barely see through the whirlwind of words, whipping around my head and cutting my cheeks with their razor-sharp edges. The room flooding with black and pooling with the ink I had been so desperately searching for. My feet became sticky, and each time I lifted my foot the ink grew stronger and forced me to stay rooted to the spot. 

My other barely stirred. You summoned your blade and held it out to him, calling out a name that feels so familiar yet so wrong. Dirty, like a secret you had told no one. A pleasure that left your skin crawling with delight at the mere hiss of the sibilant. Velvet and gold, red wine and grapes. 

When his name no longer resonated with him, the shell, the vessel, the empty. You turned your tongue against him.

My name in place of his.

You held your hand out to me. 

Do I take it? 

And if I do, what will become of me? Of him? Is this another cruel trick? To be plunged deeper into the unknown so I become lost and never seen again? I don’t know what I am doing here. What will taking his hand mean? Another place? Another lie? Another day of wishing for ice cream and sunsets spent wasting away in white space?

I didn’t have a choice. 

You took my hand, snatching away my ability to choose a finality. You ignore my cries, to let me go! Stop it! You are doing it again! You're hurting me!

You tear me from one sanctuary to another, then finally choosing to throw me into the unknown once more. Again. Moving again.

I want to be safe. 

I want to heal. 

I want to be with him!

You wrench my hand through the sea of pages, yanking me out of the inky darkness and forcing me to take the first step into a dark corridor. I drag my heels into the ground. 

No.

No.

No.

No.

No no, not again. 

I never want to step through another door like that, never again. Those doors are an omen, lingering and benevolent. Swirling darkness creeping in at all angles, swallowing whole fragments of light and destroying the last glance of my sanctuary. 

I didn’t have a choice. 

I tried to tear my hand from yours, but you held on tightly. So tight I felt as though my wrist could shatter, as though I was a puppet in your hands. You spoke, but the blood rushing to my ears made it impossible to hear you. You barked at me, told me something and ground your teeth when I failed to respond. 

You scowl.

Drawing a long sharp blade shrouded by darkness. You held it toward me. If I dare try to defy you now, you’ll cut me down where I stand. 

I didn’t have a choice. 

I moved to summon my own blade but was too slow. Before I knew what happened, my chest had been impaled by the cold steel. The blade shook under my weight, finding new ways to embed itself further inside me. It was hard to think of anything. My chest slid down to the hilt, making a disgusting sucking sound as it went. It was easier to pretend it wasn’t my body. That this wasn’t happening. That the warmth in my chest wasn’t from my life spilling out in front of me. 

You withdrew the blade rapidly, my blood splattering onto the white walls and beige pages. A gorgeous contrast to the clinical colours, a tragedy painting itself onto the walls. You couldn’t. You couldn’t. My mouth hung open stupidly, gawking at you. 

I didn’t have a choice. 

Another figure appeared, screeching within the darkness. He sounded just as wounded as I. Hurt tearing from his throat and wailing into the void. 

The figure charged forward, shoving aside the monster and couching down to me. I stared up at him, fading in and out of nothing. My vision blurred, his striking eyes like spotlights in the dark and forcing my attention to the present. The two squabble between themselves, a strong pair of hands gripped my shoulders and shook me. Not that I could really move. The hands forced me to stand. But I couldn’t stand.

I didn’t have a choice.

Spots of black flickered into my vision, the world spinning underneath my feet. I tried to hold onto the smaller of the two monsters, something stable and something that might end this faster. The figure jumped, with the other charging forward and hitting me once again with his blade.

A howl to stop, a call to attention, the banishment of the darkness within the eyes of the other. 

But he must fall. 

If he does not yield, does not submit to the darkness and does not conform to disperse, he will not awaken. 

I can’t understand it. 

The beast swings his blade again, thumping me in the chest. 

I fly backwards, through the cloud of pages and into the lap of my other. 

The two figures dash towards me, their hands outstretched and gasping for my other. I couldn’t summon my blade. Not in time. 

A warm light licks my sides, swallowing me whole within it’s calming embrace. Like an old watchmaker seeing his first creation. A gentle caress on my aching wounds, rewinding my soul back to a time where hurt never existed and where for once I felt at peace. With you. The pain is unbearable, though the promise of you makes it easier to bare. Though my chest is collapsing, and my arms are heavy and the pages upon pages of empty words fall into puddles of ink. 

It’s you. 

A promise of a second chance. 

A promise of a few more days.

A promise of more time. 

My eyes roll back and…

And I wake up.


	11. It's That Name

It’s confusing. 

The day I see you again. 

For a moment, I didn’t recognise you. It was as though you were an entirely new person. No longer tainted by darkness and seething rage. Poorly hidden lies and smoke screens of fire. A heat so scorching as to keep me away, no matter how close you pretended to hold me. 

You had changed.

The begrudging soft side you had kept so carefully under wraps was now on display for all to see. From openly being touchy feely with Sora and Kairi, to be the first voice of reason. You are the black sheep of the group, a line to keep people in order, a hammer to bring down judgement. For once you took control when it mattered, like you have finally learnt from the past. It was refreshing. As though becoming a somebody was who you were meant to be all this time. 

You suited life. 

You had become happier, less tired, less angry. 

Yet when you looked at me all I could see was misery. Loss. A grief that was never spoken. You never held such a look to me before? 

You didn’t seem to know me either. Whether it was that name, the reluctant touch of my hair or the refusal to meet my eyes. Was it how I was new? Maybe you forgot me?

I’m shocked. 

You said you’d remember. You said we could be friends. 

But that’s no longer true. I hate that longing is the first thing I feel when I see your sharp green eyes and your blazing red hair. I hate how you ignore me, avoiding me where possible.

I hate that when you do speak to me it’s short and wrong. 

With that name. 

That name.

And when you do look at me, I have an ache that stabs instead deeper into my chest, twisting its way back to my spine. Oh god. It appears my mind and my body are not yet fully attached. I don’t know if they ever will be. I want to scream at you, tell you that it is me and let you take me away from such boring conversations of hearts and darkness. My body refuses, staying quiet, unmoving. It’s exhausting to convince it to lift a finger or speak a sentence. Let alone keep up with you and the things I’d let you do to me.

If I speak to you, I feel that my words are stolen before I can even voice them. A short inhale and the crackle of words attempt to leave my mouth, never to be spoken. They fizzle away into nothing and leave my mouth hanging open and stupid. 

But what do I even say to you?

I’m here? 

It’s me? 

I don’t even know who that name belongs to? 

Who are they talking about and why won’t you say my name? 

My name? 

But it’s that name. It’s wrong. It’s dirty and false. It’s not mine. I just can’t make myself say it to you. How you keep getting it wrong. That name is not my own. 

I am me. 

No one else. 

At least, that’s what I want to believe.


	12. It's That Name. Again.

"Ven... are you okay?"


	13. It's Not My Name.

I bent the handle of the fork in my hand with my thumb. 

It hurt. The metal twisting in my hand to give a short but bitter release from the feelings just screaming to get out. No sooner had the fork broke, the emotions returned at a rapid rate, just as thirsty as before. It hadn’t been noticed by most of the table yet, which was surprising seeing as we’re all cramped around the small kitchen table. All ten of us. I stare at you at dinner, struggling to find the words to put into my mouth. If I could just tell him. It’s me. It’s me. It’s okay now. We’re together again! You don’t seem to notice, eating in silence as the chatter from the table compensates for your conversation. 

It even seemed like Aqua, the very person who had asked the question, didn’t notice. How could she not have noticed? If she was so concerned for Ven, why didn’t she even notice me now? It’s all fake. Her concern for me, her wills and wishes. I want none of it. 

My blood pumps through my head, so hard I can hear it thudding through my ears.   
Thud. 

Thud. 

Thud. 

Louder and louder until it hurts to listen. I look down at my lap, my hand still gripping the fork and almost drawing blood from its blunt edge. I feel myself shake. I want to leave. I want to get out.

I want to go back to the clocktower. 

I want to be there with Axel… and… and that… and Xion! I want to be with them! I want my friends back. I want to each ice cream and go to the beach and play in the water. I want to feel as free as I did on my first vacation and I never want to see another keyblade again! I want to run for fun and play struggle and laugh at jokes that I can’t remember the punchline too! I want to talk to Axel for hours about things that don’t matter! I want the next time I cry to be with joy! I want to skateboard to the shops and buy pretzels! I want to eat one with cinnamon and sugar, with a chocolate dip!

I want to run into the hills and discover caves and dens and fly around in Neverland again. I’d take Xion too! Axel seemed to not like it very much, but I bet Xion would love to fly around with the fairies and swim with the mermaids, even if you aren’t meant to.

I want to feel as warm and as loved as Sora! I want to hear my name again! I want Axel to say my name again! I want to feel everything that I felt before this all went wrong!

I want to shake Axel and tell him to wake up. It’s me. We could have all this now! We could go away from all of this and just be free. 

“Hey? Ven? You aren’t eating much?” Sora says, nudging me with his elbow. I blink myself back into reality. 

I swallow thickly, then look down at my plate. It’s food that Terra had insisted that Ven liked, fish and rice. I can’t remember what fish it is, but it’s nice. It’s a white one. There are a handful of brown coloured beans in the mix, plus four stems of broccoli. There’s no reason not to eat it. I’m hungry as it is. It’s just… this ache. It dully pulses through my body and never ever leaves me. It’s worse when you are around. I look at Axel and it just intensifies. 

I want to burst into tears. 

I want to scream and cry until I can’t anymore, I want him to see me there instead of giving me that pathetic look. How can you feel that bad? You have no idea what I’m going through. You have no idea how much I want to collapse into your arms and tell you it’s me. It’s me. It’s me. 

“I’m not hungry.” I lie in whispers, failing to look up at Sora’s concerned expression.

He looks from me to Axel, then to Aqua. He didn’t seem convinced. If I’m honest, I’ve not fancied eating much at all since I came back. I’m hungry but it just feels so empty. What’s the point? 

“Try something, you need your strength. I put some of the sauce on mine, it makes a bit easier to eat?” Soda reasoned, putting a spoonful of a thick red sauce on the side of my plate. It smelt sweet, and I have no idea what it was meant to be. I suppose it’s meant to appeal to my sweet tooth, but it just makes me feel sick. I nod anyway.

“Thank you” I say quietly, but I don’t make any effort to eat. I just return my gaze to you. 

You look miserable. Perhaps it was because of the food. You never like fish that much. You poke at it with your fork and make me wonder if you have eaten properly at all since I opened my eyes. I don’t remember seeing you eat much. Your features are shaded with grey, pulled down and heavy. Not the bright and alight ones I hold so close to me. Not like the one you held when I first saw you again. 

I wish you would talk to me. 

I clear my throat and Axel looks up at me, my heart swimming to my throat.

“A-“ 

“Ven, you should tell the King about how you managed to copy out a passage of Yen Sid’s Mastery Guide.” Aqua loudly interjected, before Axel started a conversation with me. 

I pleaded with him not to let go of my eyes, but he did, looking back down to his plate. My heart twists in my chest, filling it with an acidic sensation and making me feel like I am about to collapse. Why Axel? Why are you doing this?

Please… please look at me…  
I sigh heavily, then slowly lift my face to meet the King’s, tearing out of his conversation with Yen Sid to lend an ear to me, a supportive grin on his oversized face. A supportive grin. 

For Ven. 

“I copied out a passage of Yen Sid’s Mastery Guide” 

I hadn’t, and for the very simple reason of that it is boring as hell and nothing I’m particularly interested in. I could almost feel the pride radiating off Mickey as he jumped excitedly in his seat, clapping his hands together. If only it was that easy to please everyone. 

“Gosh Ven! I didn’t know you wanted to take the mastery exam so soon!” The King said cheerfully, beaming with delight and turning his attention to Yen Sid. “What do you think Master Yen Sid? Reckon he’s in with a chance?”

Yen Sid carefully placed down his cutlery, then gave me a serious stare. 

“That all depends on Ven. If his heart is repaired, then I see no reason why not”

Aqua let out a squeal of delight and Terra ruffled my hair with his brutish hand. I tried to squeeze out a smile, but I think I’ve been excused from emotions whilst I still feel so hazy. I feel a few pats on my back. 

"Well done Ven!" 

"Glad to hear you are on the mend!" 

"Wow Ven, that’s great news!"

"Careful not to push yourself!"

But I see you roll your eyes at me then go back to poking the fish, looking miserable and pathetic. 

Do you think I’m happy about this too? 

Do you really think I’m happy being told, again, that I am who I know I’m not?

Ven. Ven. Ven. Ven. 

It's not my name!

At least you get to be yourself.

I.

Don’t. 

Get. 

A. 

Choice. 

“You can wipe that sorry look off your face” 

I say t before I can stop myself, my voice sounding lower, more comfortable, my own. Bitter. Angry. Venomous. Axel looks up to me in shock, green eyes wide with surprise and mouth hanging open.

Finally. 

Do I have your attention now, Axel? 

I release the fork and drop it onto the table. The clattering of the cutlery forcing attention to us. Only us. For once. Can you see me? Can you? Are you seeing me? Or are you still seeing Ven? How can you not see me? Do you have any idea how much it hurts to see you acting like this? Like a child? And how you keep ignoring me because I am different. I haven’t changed! I’m right in front of you! 

Axel shut his mouth into a hard, forced smile, his sarcastic drawl coating his words with fake praise and hollow compliments. 

“Yikes, I didn’t realise my praise meant to much to you. Good job sport. Really. I’m glad you are going to follow in Aqua’s footsteps.” 

You’re blind. 

“I didn’t say I wanted to do the stupid exam” I hold my nerve, Axel’s eyebrow quirks skyward. 

“Then don’t do it. Look, Ven, I’m sorry but it really doesn’t matter to me if you do it or not.” Axel shrugs, placing his own fork carefully down on the table and leaning back into his chair. 

Arms folded. 

Defensive.

Stupid.

Oh of course this doesn’t matter to you.

As if I didn’t matter to you. 

You are so stupid it’s hurting me. 

“Lea!” Kairi cries, turning in her chair to look at him. Axel shrugs again, then gestures towards me. Towards Ven. 

“Sorry Kairi, it’s true. Unless Ven is going to magic Roxas up after passing the exam, then I really couldn’t care less."

I could kill him. 

The words are like a punch to the gut. A slash across my throat. Forcing air out of my lungs till it hurt again to breathe in. How fucking dare he. Sit there with the smirk on his lips and the irritation in his eyes that I am not who he thinks I am, only that I am! My blood boils at his words, and this time, I will not sit quietly. I curl my hands into fists and launch myself across the table, when Aqua places a firm hand on my shoulder, shoving me back down into my seat. 

“Don’t listen to him Ven, he’s just a horrible, bitter man.” Aqua takes hold of my hand, holding me in place and once again trying to keep me in check.

I hate how she holds my hand.

I hate how she speaks about Axel. She doesn’t know him. She doesn’t know what we’ve been though. How can she?

“He just can’t get over the past. That’s all. You’ll be fine, and we’ll support you through the exam”

I snatch my hand away, standing as I do so. I don’t want to be involved anymore. If Axel can’t see me, and I can’t be myself, then what is the point of me being here? I may as well disappear. If Ven is the one everyone wants, then why did he let me be here? I don’t want this anymore! 

“I said, I don’t want to do this stupid exam. I’m tired of doing what everyone else wants.”

“But Ven-“ She starts, sternly, as though I am a child. 

“No! I’m not doing it. I don’t even want a part in this stupid war you keep talking about.”

“Ven you have no choice.”

I could have throttled her. No more. I will not be told again. Never again. I will have a choice, I don’t care if I am not allowed. I refuse.

“I don’t care. I refuse. If I don’t get to choose my future then I want no part in yours.”

“How dare you be so selfish.” Aqua stood up slowly from her chair, her face falling into darkness and her eyes glowing a sinister hue of gold. “We have done all of this for you. This whole mission has been for you. You will have no future if you don’t fight.”

“Are you threatening me?”

She takes a step towards me, the darkness clouding in her eyes. HA! So, she succumbed to darkness yet she thinks she can tell me what to do? How weak! I stand to my full height, tensing my jaw so hard my head begins to hurt. She doesn’t scare me. How can she? She can’t even fight the darkness within herself.

“You will take the exam and you will take your place in this battle. That’s the end of this conversation”

I stare at her, nose to nose with her. I don’t even know her. Who is she to boss me about and tell me what I get to do with my second chance. I am not wasting it fighting a stupid fight I never asked to be in. I laugh in her face, much to her astonishment.

“You don’t get to make choices for me. I won’t take the exam, and I refuse to fight.”

“You are being a child”

“And you are being unreasonable. I don’t need to be involved, and I don’t need to fight. So what if the world falls to darkness, nothing will change if Kingdom Hearts is destroyed.” 

Aqua raised her hand and struck me across the face, snapping my head to the side. The sound of the slap echoing off the walls of the room and ringing throughout the silence. It stung, leaving behind a pulsing sensation, raw and sore as though she had taken a layer of skin off my face. I didn’t even bother trying to feel it on my cheek with my hand, I would never give her the satisfaction. Her body heaved with anger, her face twisted into one of completed and utter disgust. Sneering down at me as though I am some pathetic worm.

“You will fight.”

I turned to face her, adrenaline coursing through my veins, making it hard to relax my shoulders. I take one, small step towards her, entering her personal space. I keep my voice low, biting, sour. 

Fight? 

“Make me.”


	14. He was the sacrifice

The atmosphere in the Tower was frosty. 

Well. Frosty was an understatement. 

No one had dared to speak since Aqua and Ven’s shouting match at dinner. The silent standoff between them had shocked the team to the core. They feared that if they rose their voice even a little, the argument would resume. Terra had taken Aqua away to one side of the tower, leaving Ven to his own devices. Ven hadn’t been seen since the ‘family’ dinner fell through. Lea couldn’t blame him. 

It was funny how Lea had predicted this outburst since day one. Ven wasn’t a child who would be told anymore, he was a young man with a strong heart and mind all of his own. And Lea agreed with him, for the most part. If he didn’t want to fight, why should he? He wasn’t quite sure of Ven’s motivations to fight anyway.

It wasn’t like Ven had anyone to fight for. Not like Lea. 

It also really didn’t help that Sora and Riku still had not resolved their fight. 

It left the team without its strongest members, and now it seemed that their grand plan was falling into pieces. A fragmented team can’t possibly stand a chance against the darkness. It frightened Lea to think of the darkness creeping back into the pockets they had worked so hard to banish it from. With the team in a vulnerable position, if Xehanort launched an attack, Lea wasn’t quite sure they would be able to win this time around. 

Lea needed some air. 

The highest point of the tower lent itself very nicely to a view of the sky, almost as nice as the clock tower view. Sure, it didn’t have the same melancholic feel that Lea took great comfort in, but it was a good replacement. He felt less alone when he sat up there, taking in the gentle breeze and watching the sun dip down under the horizon. He felt like he could feel Roxas… and that Roxas was present in some small form. In the ice cream Lea took up there, in the sun, in the breeze. He walked up the curling staircase, past the rooms of his fellow team mates and various magical labs long disused. 

It was on the landing for the Tower Library that hushed whispers and muted shouts leaked under the poorly insulated door. Lea paused for a moment on the landing. 

He really shouldn’t get involved. 

He really, really shouldn’t. 

But he couldn’t help but catch small snippets of conversation. 

“I am not the one to blame for this!” Riku’s voice hissed, followed by a loud thud. Lea assumed it would be his fist against something wooden. “I did what I had to do. You have to stop antagonising me like this.”

“You! You! Ugh! You didn’t have to stab him! You should have a better hold of the darkness now, Riku! It isn’t good enough anymore!” Sora retorted, his voice sounding uncharacteristically angry. Shaking and pleading, biting out ‘you’. Riku scoffed.

“I tried my best!”

“Well, try harder! What are we supposed to tell everyone?! That we failed?! How can we do that to them!” Sora’s voice sounded exasperated, tired, and hoarse. 

They had been arguing for hours, by the sounds of it. Lea put his hand on the door knob, maybe he should just… 

“What are you going to tell Lea?!”

What.

What.

“The truth. It’s cruel to keep him hopeful.” Riku said simply, a dark tone taking over his voice.

“But just as cruel to tell him what you did.”

“I did it because I had to.”

Lea carefully opened the door, with both Riku and Sora’s head snapping to look at him. Both boys freezing in fear, before trying to shake into a posture of calm. Riku staring down Lea, watching as Lea walked into the room, shutting the door behind him.

“What did you want to tell me?” He asked, feeling nervous at the sudden silence between the bickering pair. But he can’t feel nervous. Not with Roxas on the line. Not with secrets being thrown around like empty promises.

Sora opened his mouth, but Lea held up a hand to stop him. There is no more need for lies now. Not with what is at stake. Not with Roxas. Lea couldn’t take anymore. 

“I want the truth. I’m sick of people hiding things from me, talking in riddles to sound clever. I want the truth. Where. Is. Roxas?”

Riku put his hand on Sora’s shoulder, moving him to the side. He stood in front of Lea, folding his arms across his chest and staring up at the taller man. 

“I struck him down.” Riku said, his voice steady, matter of fact.

But it’s not good enough. 

“Be more specific. What did you do to Roxas?” Lea snapped, feeling his temper start to wane away.

“I-“

“What did you do?”

“Roxas is dead.” Riku swallowed thickly, his gaze never leaving Lea’s furious glare. “I put my sword through his chest and watched him vanish.” 

It’s not possible. 

It felt like someone had sucked all the air out of Lea’s chest, his arms growing weak. He knees wobbled, no. No it’s not. It can’t be. 

No. 

No.

No. 

No no no no no. 

This is not how it was supposed to end. 

No

No no no. 

Roxas was alive. 

Riku was lying. 

Riku had lied before. He can lie again now.

Roxas had to be alive. Somewhere, anywhere. 

Before Lea had time to process what just happened, he had slammed Riku up to the wall, his hands wrapped tightly around his throat. Lea’s blood boiled, teeth grinding together and causing a pain to shoot through his head. He lifted Riku up the wall, barely phased by the frantic kicking and yelping coming from this pitiful excuse of a human. 

A liar. 

A murderer. 

He didn’t hear Sora screaming at Lea to let Riku go. 

He just watched as Riku’s face turned an ugly shade of purple. How Lea wished Riku would just die. Just burn. End all of this misery. To make him suffer as he had made Roxas suffer. That seemed right, that sounded like justice. How long would it take for Riku to stop breathing, Lea wondered. How long would he keep fighting for? If only Riku knew how stupid it was to fight him for his life. He deserved to die. Lea had done it before, he could do it again.

He tightened his grip. 

With every struggled breath Riku took, Lea tightened his hand, barely phased by the pathetic clawing of his hand. Stuttering and choking and his eyes turning blood shot. Riku tried, and failed, to get his breath.

Good. 

“STOP!” 

With the familiar sound of a keyblade being drawn turning Lea’s attention away from Riku, he finally dropped the man onto the floor. Ignoring the stridor that erupted from Riku as he desperately drank in the air. Lea kicked him over so he lay on his back, placing his foot square on Riku's chest, pressing into it until he could hear the satisfying crack of his ribs. 

“Stop what. Murdering your friend?” Lea said quietly, flames licking his palms as his own keyblade formed. He held it towards Riku, looking back to Sora. “Move closer. I dare you.”

“It was an accident!” Sora cried, his keyblade trembling in his hand. Pathetic. As if that would suffice as a plea for mercy.

Did Roxas beg for his life before he was murdered? 

“You promised me you would keep him safe!” Lea roared, spit flying from his mouth, his posture becoming grotesque and full of spite. “YOU SAID HE WOULD HAVE A CHOICE!”

“I did! And I let you down-“

“Roxas is dead, Sora! It doesn’t matter anymore! You can say you are sorry until your death, but you will never right this wrong!” Lea’s chest heaved, shaking with adrenaline, the blade inching closer to Riku’s throat.

“Lea stop!”

“Roxas will never see the sunset again.” Lea’s keyblade slowly sliced into the surface of Riku’s throat, beads of blood drawing from the broken skin. Sora yelled, but Lea didn’t listen. “He will never see the beach. He will never eat ice cream again.”

“Lea! Please! I don’t want to hurt you!”

“Too late” 

Lea lifted his blade to strike Riku, to end this nightmare once and for all. For Roxas, for the life that had been snatched away from him. He brought his keyblade down, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.

He didn’t get a chance to make contact. 

Sora barrelled into him, knocking Lea down to the ground. Lea’s keyblade spinning away from his grasp. Sora sat on top of Lea, his own keyblade disappearing into the void. He held Lea’s hands tightly, pinning them above his head. No matter how much Lea tried, Sora refused the let Lea budge an inch, growling in frustration each time Lea raised a fist to hit him. 

“Lea please! Calm down!”

Lea managed to shake free one of his fists, without wasting a single moment, he punched Sora square in the face. The man howled in pain, flying backwards, his hands covering his face. Blood seeping in between his fingers from his nose that was now thoroughly busted. Good. At least he could feel a fraction of the pain that coursed through Lea's entire being, the pain that would now never leave him.

“How long will you continue to call yourselves the heroes?” Lea spat, pulling himself up from the ground. He stormed towards the door, practically ripping it off its hinges with fury. He turned back to the snivelling frauds, who were too busy trying to lick their wounds clean to care to try another pathetic apology. “You can go fuck yourselves. Count me out. I’m done.” 

With that, Lea slammed the door shut. His mind set to escape to the top of the tower.

And watch the sunset just one more time.


	15. He was the offering

It was impossible. 

No. 

There was no way he was dead. 

Not without a second chance. 

Roxas deserved a second chance. 

He… he was supposed to have a second chance.

How tragic would it be that his short existence was filled with nothing but secrets, lies and betrayal? How ironic that his death came about the same way. Secrets. Lies. Betrayal. 

All the things Lea wished he could have said. 

He was proud of Roxas. 

For giving what he did. Even when life had shown him nothing but lies and cruelty, he remained empathic to others. He gave when he truly deserved to take. Where had he collected that kindness from? It certainly wasn’t from Lea. 

He wanted to say he was sorry. 

That the last thing they ever did was fight. How Roxas left their friendship believing that he was alone. That no one would miss him. Lea wanted to say sorry to Roxas. He wished he was a better friend. That he listened and didn’t treat Roxas like a naïve child. Lea wondered if it would have turned out differently, if he had just told Roxas the truth. Instead of smothering him in layers of deceit and smoke screens. 

Did Roxas know that Lea had spent the last few years fighting for him? 

It weighed down on Lea’s soul. A crushing weight that threatened to kill him. How could he have let this happen. Where did it first go wrong? Was it back then? Did it start on Day 1? Day 2? Day 255? 

And then… the thing he had always been too frightened to say.

He had nearly said it before.

Once after Neverland. Once after sharing their final ice cream. Once after an evening spent wrapped in sheets and laughter, tracing his fingers over every inch of his body. The moment he truly felt like he had a heart. 

He had always imagined telling Roxas over ice cream. Doing Roxas’ favourite thing. That Lea would take in a deep breath and just say it. Pour his soul out to the young man who barely knew how to make a cup of coffee without burning himself. To tell him how he adored his quirks and his humour, how he could be an absolute dumbass one moment and in the next be the triumphant leader he should have grown into. Lea wanted to tell him that he never wanted moments like this to end, how they didn’t have to end.

If only they could run away and be free. 

But it was too late now. 

It didn’t matter anymore.

Roxas is dead. 

So what was he meant to do now?

He reached the top of the stairs, opening the door to the sunset. His heart couldn’t stand it a moment longer, images of his Roxas flying in his mind. How the sunset made him glow, how it sparkled in his eyes and lit up his face like nothing else ever could. How his fondest memories of Roxas came from up here, in the sky, where nothing could hurt him anymore. 

Nothing can hurt him.

Not anymore. 

Lea let out a whimper, kneeling beside the ledge of the tower. He couldn’t do it anymore. How could he? It was all for him. And now, he’s gone. 

Lea buried his face into his hands and cried.

What else was he supposed to do? 

He let it all go, the rage, the frustration, the bitterness. It flowed out of him in hot, angry tears, causing him to splutter. He sobbed until he shook, until he couldn’t face it anymore. He sobbed and cried and called out for his lost love. To change time, that he was sorry he couldn’t be better. He was sorry he couldn’t save him. He was sorry he couldn’t help him. He was sorry he had to face the darkness alone. He was sorry for everything he never did or had the strength to do. None of that mattered now. What’s done is done. 

His name rolled off his tongue, feeling as though just saying the word was letting him go. Hearing the name he’ll never call out for again. The name that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“I’m so sorry Roxas” Lea sobbed to the sunset, “I’m sorry.”

And Lea sat like that, crying, until the sun kissed the horizon and began its descent into night. Lea wiped his eyes with his sleeve, the tears had long since stopped flowing. Ugly riverbeds now lay on his cheeks, red raw and sore. Even touching it with the material of his sleeve hurt. But it didn’t matter. 

He felt empty. 

He had been so consumed in his grief, that he hadn’t noticed the figure sitting silently on the ledge with him, his legs dangling over the side of the tower. 

“It’s alright… you’ll be okay.”

Lea’s head snapped up, and for a brief moment, his heart stopped beating. 

Roxas.

But… it can’t be. 

“Ven- no… Roxas?” 

Roxas smiled sadly, then looked out into the inky black night. Lea couldn’t believe his eyes. It must be a trick. Someone’s sick idea of a joke. But he was here. In the flesh. 

He finally saw through Ven's illusion, beholding the precious heart that lay within. It was. It was his Roxas. Roxas. Roxas.

“Do you know why the night sky is black?” Roxas asked, his head tilting up to look at the stars. 

Lea said nothing, instead, shakily moving to take a seat next to Roxas. He too, tilted his head to the sky, watching a shooting star pass over head. Roxas took in a short breath, taking Lea’s silence as permission to continue.

“Well you see, the universe is full of hundreds and thousands of galaxies. All expanding and growing faster than we can ever imagine. Worlds are full of a light so bright that becomes invisible to our eyes, turning them into wavelengths, making them disappear.” Roxas turned his head slightly to look at Lea, a fond grin pulling at his lips. “It’s black because it’s expanding. New light, more sky.”

“Like I asked, know-it-all” Lea couldn’t resist, falling into a quiet chuckle with Roxas. A warm sense of nostalgia washed over him, like they had been here before, like nothing had ever changed.

It was bittersweet. 

Melancholic. 

The pair of friends sharing in a moment both wished they could live in. With just them, their memories and their unending connection. Roxas took a hold of Lea’s hand, lacing together their fingers, allowing his thumb to pass over Lea’s knuckles in comforting circles. 

“But it’s true. As much as we fear the darkness, look at how much room it leaves us to create light. A new life, another chance. As Sora says, all the worlds are under the same sky… one sky, one destiny.” Roxas turned to face Lea, lifting his knee onto the ledge as he did so, one leg still dangling over the side. 

“I didn’t know you were so dramatic.” Lea whispered quietly, but it just pulsed the ache in his chest. 

He held onto Roxas’ hand, trying to commit to memory every single piece of it. It’s warmth, it’s softness, exactly how his hand wrapped around his. He was terrified that this was it. The end. A dream that he would snap out of. What if Lea did wake up? What if Lea found that Roxas really had died? That Roxas had left him and he never got a chance to say goodbye. That thought threatened his tears to begin again, so instead, he looked at Roxas’ face. 

His beautiful features drenched in an acceptance that he had only seen when he was forced to disappear the first time. Now he was to do it again. Those rosy cheeks, those pink lips, the flick of his golden hair, the radiant smile he never saw enough of. All of it. Gone. Forever.

“I’m telling you the truth. I guess what I wanted to say was… that I can never be that far away. We will always share the same sky. So even if this lifetime is something I am not meant to be a part of, in my next, I will be there.” His gorgeous blue eyes glistened with tears, some already spilling down his perfect cheeks. “I’ll be waiting.”

Lea wiped the tears away with his thumb, using the rest of his fingers to brush aside Roxas’ hair. Roxas pressed his face into Lea’s palm, placing a kiss at the edge of his hand. 

But Lea wasn’t ready to let go.

Not yet. 

He leaned forward, cupping Roxas’ face in his hands, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Soft, loving, full of the words he wished he had said before. Just one more night. That’s all Lea wanted. Just one more night to say goodbye. Please. Let him show Roxas the affection he had always held back on, let him whisper to him the sweet words he had been dying to say, let Lea do what Axel couldn’t.

Let Lea love Roxas.

For one more night. 

The two shared in a kiss that had to last them their life time, as they both realised this, it only became more desperate, more tearful.

Their final heartbreak after a life time of shattering.


	16. The One Who Gave It All

I let you take back what I gave to you, what’s rightfully yours. 

My lips. 

My body.

My heart. 

Even though I can no longer be a part of this new life of yours. 

I am here, and I am yours.

I love you, Axel.

I’ll see you soon.


	17. The One Who Took Nothing

Ah!

I was wondering when you would come back.

Here, I finished writing this for you.

Hm? What is it?

Don’t be silly, this is your book. Your story! You must recognise it, right? You put the crease in the spine? 

You certainly lived a difficult life. I have to say, it wasn’t easy writing it all down… I’m sorry if some of the ink is smudged. 

Are you ready? 

I got a blank copy for you, to take with you on your next journey.

Hm?

You’re scared? Of what?

Ah… I see.

Well, I suppose you return to Kingdom Hearts. 

With a clean slate. You’ll be able to live a new life, peaceful, filled with love and happiness. Of course, that is on the good days. You’ll still have to live through darkness. Everyone does at some point. But now you must rest. You have earned a peaceful existence. 

Oh Roxas, don’t cry…

He will never forget you… what is it he always used to say? 

‘If you live in people’s memories, you’ll live forever.’ 

No one will forget what you did. Your sacrifice. You changed the fate of all the worlds. You are the reason why we can keep fighting for the future. But let us worry about that for now.

You must now focus on your next life, and who you want to be. 

Of course, you get to choose! 

You can be whoever you want to be!

The future is yours! It is yet to be written!

So… are you ready?


	18. In Him, There Is Suffering. In Him, There is a Future.

Lea awoke, the sun casting rays onto his face. He rolled over, curling himself up in the delicate sheets that lay on the bed. And to his side…

He placed his hand onto the face of the sleeping man, fiddling with the strands of blonde hair that lay across his face. He pushed them back, so he could see his face, absentmindedly stroking the others cheek with his thumb. He was gorgeous, basked in the morning sun, looking peaceful. Like everything that happened never did. Like there was no war, there was no heartbreak. That it was only them, and the blissful night they had spent together. 

How many nights had Lea wasted with Roxas? Not realising how fickle time was and how destiny wanted no part in keeping them together? How he wished he could have savoured every night for the sweet moments it brought him. He wished he could relive last night, again and again.

The blonde had been tucked in nicely, his bare shoulders littered with kisses from the depths of night peeking out from underneath the sheet. His soft breaths of deepest sleep drawing out against the pillow. Lea wanted him to stay that way, in sleep. Only because he knew that when the other awoke, it was over. 

He pulled the blonde into his bare chest, careful as not to wake him, holding him gently. He allowed his fingers to trace the others back, taking in every single crease of the others skin, the indents of his spine, the dip at his waist. How little goosebumps pricked up on his skin where Lea’s fingers traced, causing his sleeping frame to nuzzle closer to Lea.  
Lea spent a few moments committing it to memory, so he would never ever forget. He knew he never could forget. How he was going to miss him…

He had kept him here long enough. 

It was time to let him go.

Lea indulged himself in one last kiss, that he buried into the top of the others hair.

“I love you” He whispered into his hair, breathing in the familiar smell of sea salt and sage for a final time. “I love you so much.” 

He felt his voice crack, and with that, he gave him one final squeeze.

It was enough to wake Ventus up, blinking into the sunlight, looking up towards Lea. He took a moment to adjust, his blue eyes washing away all sense of the man that was leaving Lea behind. 

“Good morning…” Ventus greeted Lea, allowing Lea to look over his face, as if Ven was hiding some form of Roxas. But there wasn’t anything to find.

He had gone. 

Lea let go of Ven, letting him sit up and stretch, the sheet falling to his waist. It occurred to Lea for a moment that maybe he should apologise for leaving the marks on Ven’s skin, now that Ven could control his body once more. He had a feeling the Ven had already forgiven him.

“He’s gone. Hasn’t he?” Lea asked quietly, taking his eyes off Ven’s back. Staring down at his hands, not that he knew what to do with them now.

Ven nodded, turning to face Lea once more.

“Yes.” Ven said softly, and found he could only watch as Lea’s face threatened to crumble. He placed his hand on top of Lea’s, giving him a sympathetic smile. “He’s returned to Kingdom Hearts.”

Lea shrugged, numbly.

“So what do I do now?”

“What Roxas couldn’t do. Live. Fight for a future he’ll be safe in. Just don’t look back, he wouldn’t want you to spend your second chance in grief. It’ll take time… but if you can’t do it for yourself, then at least do it in his memory”

“I guess you are right.” Lea moved to get up, then stopped abruptly. 

Suddenly incredibly self-aware that he – and Ven- were completely naked. 

“Ven, I don’t want to be really weird now… considering... you know. But do you mind turning around?” 

Lea couldn’t help but laugh, as ridiculous as the situation was. He didn’t really fancy baring himself completely in front of Ventus, he felt super bad that that would be Ventus’ first memory of being alive again. 

“Ha! Sure sure, just keep your eyes shut too!” Ven snorted, tucking himself in again and hiding his eyes in his hands. “Aqua is going to love this…”

“What! You can’t tell her! She’ll kill me!”

Once the two were appropriately dressed, they had both decided to do some very serious damage control. Calling a team meeting, for feuds to be set aside, and a compulsory attendance. 

Lea decided to take control of the meeting, with Ventus by his side. He knew that for the team to come out of this stronger, they needed to talk. 

And they did. 

Riku and Sora came clean. 

They spoke of the dreamscape, how Riku had been forced to choose between the two men. How he learnt that Ventus could not return whilst Roxas still lived. How he became tainted by darkness and attempted to destroy Roxas. Sora shouldered some of the burden. None of it would have happened if he had not been so lax. If he hadn’t underestimated sleep. He should always have been at Riku’s side, and in him failing to support Riku, they had nearly lost both Ventus and Roxas.

Ventus spoke of Roxas. 

How he could not bear to see such a frantic heart, so frightened of death and losing his loved ones, disappear before it had a chance to say goodbye. A proper goodbye. He spoke of the anguish Roxas had felt. Ventus demanded the team to not loose sight of Roxas’ gift to them. A second chance. To remember him for the selfless soul that he was, and a reminder that their ability to choose was not one that was given freely. 

Lea took a moment to apologise.

For the anger and resentment that held the team back. How he had been so blinded by his grief that he had almost destroyed the relationships between them. He had been selfish. He knew that. He apologised to Aqua, for the venom he had spat at her. He apologised for not explaining to the team what was going on in his head. He promised that he would fight and learn to talk to the ones around him. He knew his grief was not over and asked the team to help him through it. 

Of course, they all agreed. 

All of them had lost something in this war.

Now it was time to fight for the better future they all desperately wanted to live in.

A future that Lea wanted to protect.

For him.


	19. Epilogue: The Darkness That Passed, And The Light That Shines Brighter

It had been eighteen years since the end of the Keyblade War.

The battle had been brutal, and not without causality. Xehanort had put up a good fight. It was a battle hard won by the heroes, but that is what they are, Heroes. 

With balance restored to Kingdom Hearts, the worlds became connected. 

It was common for people to travel between worlds, exploring everything their new universe had to offer. Hidden secrets, wondrous sights, a chance to learn and develop. It all came flooding to the residence of the worlds. Finally, able to reconnect with relatives the darkness had forced them to forget. To make new friends that stretched across the universe. To indulge in the sweet paopu’s of Destiny Island, or to go karting in Disney Town. The light had prevailed, and now, the future seemed unlimited.

The Heroes disbanded, with no real need to stay together now. Their work was done. All that was left was to reap the rewards of a battle well fought. 

Sora, Riku and Kairi became true guardians of light. Protecting it fiercely… though… it had not come under any threat since Xehanorts fall. Instead, they worked hard to find the ex-norted. To rebuild their lives and to help them see that there was so much more they could get out of it. Now free, out of the control of an irrational madman. They eased the souls of those who had turned into heartless. In their spare time, they hung out at the beach, making up for their lost teenage years. 

Terra, Aqua and Ven created a school for those who wished to carry on the Keyblades legacy. Each becoming masters in their own right, training plucky young hearts on how best to use their light to protect the new worlds. To teach them the wrongs of the past, and to pass on the selflessness demonstrated by those most precious to them. Ven had become a quick favourite. Plenty of kids desperate to hear the wild story of Ven’s, how he slept for years, how he had been split in two. Everyone wanted to learn from him, and he was more than happy to teach them. 

They were happy.

That is all that really mattered.

And Lea.

Lea had distanced himself from talk of keyblades and darkness. If he wanted to live a truly peaceful life, he wanted to live as a normal person. To be the Lea he thought he would be as a child. He returned to his home world, moving into a small apartment, big enough for him and his new start. 

He had also met someone new, someone who understood his past pain. They themselves were healing from the battle, having loved and lost as a result of it. Together, they had an unspoken understanding of loss. They allowed Lea to fully explore his grief, and in time, helped him to overcome it. They built a new life together, one of patience and understanding. A new heart to share in, a new place to feel safe. 

Though he never forgot Roxas. He never could. 

But that didn’t mean he didn’t have the space in his heart for another. 

Lea took his new love to Twilight Town, feeling secure enough to show them a place so dear to his heart. They had just finished looking around the town market when Lea suggested they make a stop at the Clocktower, for memories sake. They agreed, and the pair make their way up the steep hill, past the Usual Place. 

They had walked up to the fork in the road, one that took them either to the Clocktower, or down to the Sandlot. Talking of nothing important, Lea suggesting that they get a pretzel on the way home and his love scolding him for snacking when they had a dinner planned for later that night. Lea laughed, wrapping his arm around their shoulders, the comfortable fit like a missing puzzle piece. He was truly happy, incredibly blessed for his second chance.

He was looking forward to it. His future.

A young man suddenly dashed out of one of the shops, a bag full of mail slung around his shoulders and a skateboard tucked under his arm. The kid threw his skateboard on the ground, letting it roll a few paces away from him before he ran onto it, pushing himself off down the hill. A few letters flying out of the bag onto the ground as he raced away from the disgruntled post lady, who ran out of the door behind him.

“Aros! You forgot Miss Jenny’s- oh! Never mind!” She huffed, shaking her head and retreating inside. 

Aros raced down the slope of the hill. Barely looking where he was going, his sharp blue eyes widening as he closed in on the pair of lovers. He pressed his weight onto his backfoot, swerving out of the way at the last possible moment. He turned his head over his shoulder, calling out behind him a short ‘Sorry!’ as he went past them in a flash. 

Lea paused in his step, turning to watch the guy disappear out of sight, hearing a clack of the skateboard wheels landing a jump. 

Ah. 

Lea supposed some things never change, even if they were in a different time and place. It warmed his heart. Of course, he would spend his next life zipping around on the skateboard he never had enough time to ride. He wondered if he had those friends he had dreamed of? Did they finally go to the beach? He wondered if he liked ice cream? Maybe that’s why he was working… to get some money. Ha…

“Something wrong?” His new love asked, tilting their head with the question, looking up to Lea with concerned eyes. 

“No… no. Everything is fine.” He pressed a kiss onto their forehead, then carried on their trek to the top. “How about we get some ice cream instead?” 

And maybe this was for the best. 

To let them have time grow their hearts and recover from the hurt they had both suffered so greatly from. So they forget. So Roxas could be the person he was always meant to be. So Lea could learn to love and trust someone again without the fear of them being taken away from him. 

Lea turned away from Aros’ path, sure in his choice. Yes. This is what was best. 

That the two of them were never to meet.

…

Not in this lifetime, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been Never To Meet!
> 
> Thank you to all those who have been commenting on this, I massively enjoy reading your thoughts on the mystery and I hope you are satisfied with it's ending. 
> 
> In fact, any feedback is greatly appreciated! 
> 
> This fic now has a sequel: Together Apart. I can't promise an upload schedule but I will update it when I can. I've called the series 'Our Second Chances'. For obvious reasons. 
> 
> There are also some deleted scenes that I have put together for this fic, including a near finished chapter of Goofy being Sora's break up adviser. Check it out!
> 
> I have another fic on going currently: To Make a Prince Smile. If Prince AU's are your cup of tea, please check it out!
> 
> If you want to keep updated on some other things I've got going on, find me on tumblr as ouch-thats-hot
> 
> Thanks guys <3


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